Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:
Barnabas, a Jew of Cyprus, comes as close as anyone outside the Twelve to being a full-fledged apostle. He was closely associated with Saint Paul [25 January, 29 June].'Tis also the festival of Saint Riagail of Bangor, Abbot (died 881), abbot of Bangor Abbey: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Abbey-link & Wikipedia-link Abbey.
'Tis also the festival of Saint Rimbert, Bishop, O.S.B. (830-888), Archbishop of Hamburg & Bishop of Bremen: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Diocese-link Hamburg-Bremen & Wikipedia-link Hamburg-Bremen.
'Tis also the festival of Saint Paola Frassinietti, Religious (1809-1882), foundress of the Frassinetti Sisters, formally the Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Dorothy: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.
Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Tuesday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter eleven, verses twenty-one(b) thru twenty-six & chapter thirteen, verses one, two, & three;
Psalm Ninety-eight, verses one, two & three(a/b), three(c/d) & four, & five & six;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter five, verses thirteen thru sixteen.
Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, in today’s Gospel Jesus uses the images of salt and light to show how we are to bring salvation to the world. In our rather privatized and individualistic culture, we tend naturally to think of religion as something for ourselves designed to make our lives richer or better. Now, there is a sense in which that is true, but on the biblical reading, religiosity is like salt, light, and an elevated city: it is meant not for oneself but for others.Video reflection by Deacon Miguel Santos: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Perhaps we can bring these two together by saying that we find salvation for ourselves precisely in the measure that we bring God’s life to others. The point is that we followers of Jesus are meant to be salt, which effectively preserves and enhances what is best in the society around us. We effectively undermine what is dysfunctional in the surrounding culture.
We are also light by which people around us come to see what is worth seeing. By the very quality and integrity of our lives, we shed light, illuminating what is beautiful and revealing what is ugly. The clear implication is that, without vibrant Christians, the world is a much worse place.
Mass Readings—Memorial of St. Barnabas
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter eleven, verses twenty-one(b) thru twenty-six & chapter thirteen, verses one, two, & three;
Psalm Ninety-eight, verses one, two & three(a/b), three(c/d) & four, & five & six;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter ten, verses seven thru thirteen.
Papal Quote o' the Day
"The demands Jesus makes upon His followers are not empty rhetoric, & they do not change with the passing of time. He calls us to conversion, to reconciliation with God & one another. Jesus wishes us to hear the 'hard sayings' as well as the words of confidence & encouragement."Little Flower Quote o' the Day
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, feast day: 22 October)
"I'm not relying on my own merits, as I have none, but I put my hope in Him who is goodness & holiness Himself."Saint Quote o' the Day
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)
"Two thieves were nailed on either side of our Lord. They both cursed & blasphemed; there was no difference between them at the beginning. The first one, the rebel that was on the left of our Blessed Lord represents the pain of those who say, 'Take me down.' The one on the right wanted to be taken up. The one on the left turned his head as much as he could & said to our Lord, 'If you are the Son of God, save yourself; save us.' He thought that our Lord was simply a healer. There are many today who are beginning to believe that this is the essence of Christianity—healing. The Lord does heal, but not always. There will not be a complete healing until the whole cosmos is renewed. Our Lord did not heal Lazarus, He allowed him to die. Our Lord did not release John the Baptist from prison. God does now & then heal. But healing is not the essence of His coming. That was all, however, that the rebel on the left wanted, just to be healed. As a matter of fact, if he were living today, he would probably never think of sin. If he had money, he would spend thousands of dollars on psychotherapy. But the thought of sin never entered into his mind—just the desire to be taken down."
—Venerable Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)
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